Reenforcing means for metallic plates



Jan. 29, 1929.

A. E. SMALL REENFORCING MEANS FOR METALLIC PLATES Filed Aug. 27, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2n vendor rilzur E (S'ma/l Jan. 29, 1929."

A. E. SMALL REENFORCING MEANS FOR METALLIC PLATES Filed Aug. 27, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 01' nail ill Patented Jan. 29, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR E. SMALL, 0]? onrcneo, ILLINOIS, AssIenoR TO onion METAL rRonU'o'rs coMeAuy, OF CHICAGO, runners, A coRPoRA'rron 0E DELAWARE.

REENFOBCING MEANS FOR METALLIC PLAT-ES.

Application filed August 27, 1926. Serial No. 131,940.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood thatthe invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof within the scope of the claims will occur to persons skilled in the art.

My invention relates to means of reentorcing a metallic plate by forming integral corrugations, embossments or ribs therein and resides in the particular and peculiar configuration and relation of the corrugations to obtain certain desired results.

An object of the invention is to form and arrange a plurality of corrugations in a metallic plate so as to obtain a desired proportion between strength, rigidity and resiliency.

Another object is to obtain this result with the least amount of raw material and to provide a finished article oi the least possible weight consistent with strength requirements.

Another object is to obtain the desired strength. rigidity and resiliency by forming a metallic plate with integral corrugations or ribs which increase in width toward their opposite ends and other alternate corrugations or ribs which project in the opposite direct-ion therefrom and which decrease in width toward their opposite ends, the last mentioned corrugations being formed with integral ribs which terminate therewithinto provide a certain amount of resiliency to enable the plate to deflect and return to its normal position without appreciable permanent distortion.

Another object is to form a metallic plate with a plurality of corrugations which are all of the same depth for the major portion of their length and are equal in depth to each other so as to form a substantially flush surface on one side of the plate (or rail my car structure) and to also form the plate with oppositely projecting corrugations positioned alternately ther-ebetween which are deepest adjacent. their middle and decrease in depth toward their opposite ends. Another object is to merge the adjacent portions of the oppositely projecting corrugations into each other so as to provide in effect, a lurality of corrugations having a depth equal to the total depth of the oppositely projecting corrugations.

Another object is to provide such a corrugated metallic platewhich can be formed by pressing it (when heated, if necessary) between dies which move toward each other in one direction only.

The construction may be used wherever a strong, resilient panel is desired, but is especially adaptable for railway car structures, such as end walls, side or end doors, hopper doors, floors, roofs, etc.

It is well known that the end walls of railway cars are more likely to be broken or otherwise injured than the side walls. This is due to the inertia thrusts and pressures caused by the shifting of the cargoes when the train starts or stops. These thrusts may be local, tending to distort the end in some particular spot as, for example, when a piece of piping or lumber shifts lengthwise imparting a blow against the end wall of the car; or there may be a general tendency to break out of the wall as a whole or tear it away from the framing. For the purpose, there fore, of greater strength and durability, car ends have been constructed of metal plates corrugated or formed with ribs to impart the desired strength, rigidity and resiliency. My construction is especially adaptable to end walls for railway cars (of any type) because it has the strength to resist the contmuous pounding of the shifting loads thereon and has the resiliency necessary to absorb these numerous shocks without distortion. Distortion of an end wall might bend the brake mast, thereby causing interference with the operation of the hand brake mechanism.

Furthermore, such. distortion might reduce the end ladder clearance beyond that prescribed by the Interstate Commerce Commission. When made of several plates .secured together the end wall can be made stronger where greater strength is required. A wooden inside lining is required in a railway house car for blocking the lading to and for compliance with the requirements of the Bureau of Explosives of the American Railway Association. Such a wooden lining can be easily applied to my construction.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a typical application of my device to a railway box car.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4- of Fi 1.

5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 1 showing the corrugated plates only.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of a plate reenforced by my arrangement of corrugations. Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a section on line 8--8 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a section on line 99 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a section on line 101O of Fig. 6.

Fig. 11 is a side view of Fig. 6.

Fig. 12 is a section on line 1212 of Fig. 6.

The plate is formed of integral corrugations or ribs 23 projecting alternately in opposite directions and preferably having their sides l5 merging into the adjacent corrugations so as to provide, in effect, a plurality of parallel corrugations having a depth equal to the total depth of the oppositely projecting corrugations. Adjacent their ends the corrugations are spaced apart distances equal to their widths so that the neutral axis of the corrugated section is midway between the bounding planes of the corrugatedstructure. The apices '7S oi. the corrugations are preferably arched so as to transmit any load imposed upon them to the opposite side walls 4.5 of the corrugations. This arched formation has the further advantage of reducing the stretch of the metal in pressing the corrugations in the plate. I have used the terms embossinents and depressions in the specification and claims to avoid confusion and differentiate between the corrugations projecting one way from the original plane 9 of the plate and those projecting in the opposite direction thereto, but otherwise I contemplate no difference in the meaning of the terms.

In the construction illustrated the embossments 2 have a constant width and depth for a space 6 equi-distant on each side of the middle of the plate and then increase in width (and preferably also in depth) until they merge into the original plane 9 of the plate at 10. (See Fig. 9.)

The depressions 3 are positioned alternately between the embossinents 2 and preferably have a constant width and depth for a space (i equi-distant on each side of the middle of? the plate and then preferably maintain a constant depth but decrease in width toward their opposite ends proportionately to the increase in wit th of the embossm-ents so that the adjacent sides a. 5 of the embossments and depressions are parallel, and in the pre fer-red form. these sides merge into each other.

The depressions 8 have integral ribs ll formed in them which project in opposite directions therefrom and are preferably equal in depth thereto adjacent the middle of the depression and preferably equi-distant on each side of their medial line. These ribs preferably terminate within the depression. The embossments and depressions are equal in width adjacent their ends. The embossments, ribs and the portions of the depres sion on opposite sides of the ribs are all the same width (and preferably of constant width) adjacent the middle and preferably equidistant on opposite sides of their medial line. The depressions are provided with ten minal portions which merge into the original plane of the plate.

The various contours of the corrugations are preferably such that the center lines of the metal at any cross section of the corrugated plate normal to the corrugations are equal. Furthermore, the metal is so disposed as to provide the required strength at any cross section thereof to sustain an equally distributed load.

Fig. 12 shows the embossments 2, depressions 3 and the ribs 11 formed in the depressions.

The emhossments and depressions may be of equal depth or one group may be deeper than the other group to suit conditions. In the form illustrated the embossinents are shallower than the depressions.

By thus forming a metallic plate I provide a plurality of corrugations or beams which cooperate to form a very strong structure adjacent the sides of the plate capable of absorbing considerable stress without much deflection and which also form a resilient structure adjacent the middle of the corrugations so that when the plate deflects under extreme load it rebounds or returns to its normal nosition Without appreciable permanent distortion.

The drawings show the device applied to a railway box car having an end sill 30, end plate 31 and oppositely disposed corner post The sides oi? the plates forming the panel are provided with flanges 83 which are secured to the corner post. The inwardly projecting corrugations (either ei'nbossments or depressions) are of constant depth for the major portion of their length so as to provide a substantial flush surface on the inside of the car to support the lining boards 34: which bear against them. Nailing strips 35 are provided which are bolted or otherwise secured to the corrugated plate to which the lining boards are nailed. The end plate 31 is rcenforced by the top corrugation 86 which is positioned adjacent thereto.

The end wall structure comprises one or more corrugated metallic plates secured together to form a. panel. The corrugations may be positioned horizontally, vertically or obliquely and the connecting seams between the corrugated plates may be positioned horizontally, vertically or obliquely, as desired. Experience has shown that the upper portion of the end wall of a railway car is not subjected to as severe stresses as the lower portion, therefore, I prefer to make the upper plates of thinner material than the lower plates, thereby reducing the weight of the car as well as its cost. I have illustrated a device'applied to a box car. However, itis Ill) applicable to any type of railway equipment, such as automobile cars, gondola cars, stock cars, or the like.

This structure has certain advantages not contained in the structures disclosed and claimed in my co-pending applications Serial No. 595,632, now Patent No. 1,674,137, dated June 19, 1928, filed October 19, 1922; Serial No. 595,634, filed October 19, 1922,;Liid Serial No. 120,732, filed July *6, 1926.

I claim:

1. In a railway car construction, a metallic plate formed with a plurality of embossments increasing in width toward their ends, and a plurality of depressions decreasing in width toward their ends, said embossments and depressions projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate, and ribs formed in said depressions which terminate therewithin.

2. In a railway car constructioma metallic plate formed with a plurality of embossments increasing in width toward their ends, and a plurality of depressions decreasing in width toward their ends, said embossments and depressions projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate, and ribs formed in said. depressions which terminate therewithin, said embossments and depressions being the same width adjacent their ends.

In a railway car construction, a metallic plate formed with a plurality of embossments in creasing in width toward their ends, and a plurality of depressions decreasing in width toward their ends, said einbossments and depressions projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate, and ribs formed in said depressions which termi nate therewithin, said embossments, ribs and portions of the depressions on opposite sides ot the ribs all being the same width adjacent their middle.

4:. In a railway car construction, a metalli plate -formed with a plurality of embossments increasing in width toward their ends, and a plurality of depressions decreasing in width toward their ends, said embos-sments and depressions projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate, and ribs formed in said depressions which terminate thcrewithin, said emlmssincnts, ribs and pertions of the depressions on opposite sides oi the ribs all being the same width and of constant width equidistant on opposite sides of their medial line.

5. In a railway car construction, a metallic plate formed with a plurality of embossments increasing in width toward their ends, and a plurality of depressions positioned alternately therewith decreasing in width toward their ends, said embossments and depressions projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate, and ribs formed in said depressions which terminate therewithin with the sides the embossments merging into the sides oi the depressions.

6. In a railway car construction, a metallic plate iormed with a plurality of embiossments increasing in width toward their ends, and a plurality of depressions positioned alternately therewith decreasing in width toward their ends, said embossn'ients and depressions projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate, and ribs form-ed in said depressions which terminate therewithin with the sides of the embossments merging into the sides of the depressions tor'the entire length of these elements.

7. In a railway car construction, a metallic plate termed with a plurality of cmbossinents increasing in width and decreasing in depth toward their ends, and a plurality of depressions decreasing in width toward their ends, said en'ibossments and depressions projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate, and ribs formed in said depressions which terminate therewithin.

8. In a railway car construction, a metallic plate formed with plurality of embossments increasing in width toward their ends, and a plurality of depressions of constant depth the major portion of their length and decreasing in width toward their ends, said embossments and depressions projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate, and ribs formed in said depressions which terminate therewithin.

9. In a railway car construction, a metallic plate formed with a plurality of embossment-s increasing in'width and decreasing in depth toward their ends, and a plurality of depressions positioned alternately therewith of constant depth the major portion of their length and decreasing in width toward their ends, said embossn'ients and depressions projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate, and ribs formed in said depressions which terminate there- 'ithin.

10. In a railway car construction, a metallic plate formed with a plurality of embossments increasing in width toward their ends,

and a plurality of depressions decreasing in width toward their ends, said cinbossinents and depressions projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate, and ribs formed in said depressions which te-rininate therewithin, said embossinents, ribs and portions of the depressions on opposite sides of the ribs all being the same width adjacent their middle with the sides of the embossments merginginto the sides of the depressions for the entire length of these ele ments, said en'ibossments and depressions being the same width adjacent their ends.

11. In a railway car construction, a inetallicplate formed with a plurality of embossments increasing in width toward their ends, and a plurality of depressions decreasing in width toward their ends, said clnbossments and depressions projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate, and ribs formed in said depressions which are equal in depth thereto adjacent their middle and terminate therewithin.

12. A metallic plate formed with a plurality of alternately disposed oppositely projecting corrugations, some of which have other corrugations formed therewithin, so as to provide arelatively rigid structure adjacent the ends of the corrugations, and a relatively resilient structure adjacent the middle of the corrugations.

13. In a railway car structure, a metallic plate formed with a plurality of embossments which decrease in depth toward their opposite ends and terminate within. the plate adjacent the opposite edges of the structure, said plate also formed with a plurality of depressions of constant depth the major portion of their length anthterminating within the plate adjacent the opposite edges of the structure, said embossments and depressions projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate and ribs formed in said depressions which terminate therewithin.

14. In a railway car structure, a metallic plate formed with a plurality of embossments which decrease in depth toward their opposite ends and terminate within the plate adjacent the opposite edges of the structure, said plate also formed with a plurality of depressions positioned alternately there oetween of constant depth the major port-ion of their length and terminating within the plate adjacent the opposite edges of the structure, said embossments and depressions projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate and ribs formed in said depressions which terminate therewithin.

15. In a railway car structure, a metallic plate formed with a plurality of embossments which decrease in depth toward their opposite ends and terminate within the plate adjacent the opposite edges of the structure. said plate also termed with a plurality of depressions positioned alternately therebetween of constant depth the major portion of their length and tern'linatiirq within the plate adjacent the opposite edges of the structure, said nnbossments and depressions projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate, ribs formed in sa id depressions which terminate therewithin, and a lining bearing against said depressions and secured to the plate.

16. In a railway car structure, a metallic plate formed with a plurality of embossments of constant depth for a short distance cent their middle which decrease in depth toward their opposite ends and terminate within the plate adjacent the opposite edges of the structure, said plate also formed with a plurality of depressions of constant depth the major portion of their length and terminating within the plate adjacent the opposite edges of the structure, said embossments and depressions projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate, and ribs formed in said depressions which terminate therewithin.

17. In a railway car structure, a metallic plate formed with a plurality of corrugations projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate, some of which have their middle portions divided so as to provide a relatively rigid structure adjacent the opposite ends of the corrugations and a relatively resilient structure adjacent the middle of the corrugations.

18. In a railway car structure, a metallic plate formed with a plurality of corrugations n'ojecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate, some of which have their middle portions divided so as to provide a relatively rigid structure adjacent the opposite ends of the corrugations which gradually becomes a relatively resilient structure adjacent the middle of the corrugations.

19. In a railway car structure, a metallic plate formed with a plurality of corrugations projecting in opposite directions from the original plane oil the plate which are relatively deep adjacent their end portions, some of which have their middle portions divided to form a. greater number of corrugations adj acent their middle portions so as to provide a relatively rigid structure adjacent the ends of the corrugations and a relatively resilient structure adjacent the middle of the corrugations.

20. In a railway car structure, a metallic plate formed with a plurality of corrugations projecting in opposite directions from the original plane oi the plate which are relatively deep adjacent their end portions, some of which have their middle portions divided to form a greater number of corrugations adjacent the middle portions so as to provide a relatively rigid structure adjacent the ends oi the corrugations which gradually becomes a relatively resilient structure adjacent the middle of the corrugations.

21. In a railway ar structure, a metallic plate termed with a plurality of corrugations projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate which are rela tively deep and relatively wit e adjacent their end portions, some of which have their middle portions divided to form a greater number of: relatively shallow and relatively narrow corrugations adjacent their middle portions so as to provide a relatively rigid structure adjacent the ends of the corrugations and relatively resilient structure adjacent the middle of the corrugations.

llll) 22. In a railway car structure, a metallic plate formed with a plurality of corrugations projecting in opposite directions from the original plane of the plate which are relatively deep and relatively Wide adjacent their end portions, some of which have their middle portions divided to form a greater number of relatively shallow and relatively narrow corrugations adjacent their middle portions so as to provide a relatively rigid structure adjacent the ends of the corrugations and which gradually becomes a relatively resilient structure adjacent the middle 01" the corrugations.

ARTHUR E. SMALL. 

